(a) There is established the Workforce Training Authority Fund, which shall be an account in the Department of Labor. The following moneys shall be deposited in the fund: (1) Any moneys received as part of a memorandum of understanding with the Workforce Training Authority; (2) all private contributions, gifts, grants, donations, bequests or devises received by the fund; and (3) to the extent not otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, any local, state or federal funds received by the fund.

(b) The Workforce Training Authority Fund shall be used: (1) To provide training assistance to eligible recipients as may be approved by the Workforce Training Authority pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, and (2) to pay or reimburse the administrator for administrative costs pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. Such training assistance shall be awarded for the purpose of: Developing and implementing training programs for the recruitment of businesses to the state and the training or retraining of persons in the state to achieve the workforce goals established by the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission and the relevant sections of the strategic master plan for higher education developed pursuant to section 10a-11b. Training assistance shall target job growth in the areas of insurance, financial services, bioscience, advance manufacturing, digital media, green technology, and tourism.

(c) All expenditures from the Workforce Training Authority, except for administrative costs reimbursed to the administrator pursuant to subsection (h) of this section, shall be approved by the board, provided the board may delegate to staff of the administrator the approval of transactions not greater than one hundred thousand dollars. Any such approval by the board shall be (1) specific to an individual expenditure to be made; (2) for budgeted expenditures with such variations as the board may authorize at the time of such budget approval; or (3) for training assistance programs to be administered by staff of the administrator, subject to limits, eligibility requirements and other conditions established by the Workforce Training Authority at the time of such program approval.

(d) The administrator shall provide any necessary staff, office space, office systems and administrative support for the operation of the Workforce Training Authority Fund in accordance with this section. In acting as administrator of the fund, the Labor Department shall have and may exercise all of the powers set forth in the general statutes, provided expenditures from the fund shall be approved by the Workforce Training Authority pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(e) The Workforce Training Authority shall establish an application and approval process with guidelines and terms for the development and implementation of training programs awarded by the Workforce Training Authority Fund to any eligible recipient. Such guidelines and terms shall include: (1) A requirement that any applicant for training assistance operate in the state or propose to relocate operations to the state, in whole or in part, as a condition of such training assistance; (2) eligibility requirements for training, including a requirement for applicants to obtain matching funds from nonstate sources; (3) a process for preliminary review of applications for strength and eligibility by the administrator before such applications are presented to the board for consideration; (4) return on investment objectives, including, but not limited to, job growth and leveraged investment opportunities; (5) a requirement that any business that receives assistance must first consider applicants who have completed the universal intake form; and (6) such other guidelines and terms as the board determines to be necessary and appropriate in furtherance of the objectives of this section. In developing such guidelines, the board shall include considerations for the size of such businesses and the number of workers employed by such businesses. Additionally, the board shall give consideration to developing training programs and creating career pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals.

(f) Training assistance awarded from the Workforce Training Authority Fund to eligible recipients shall be used for costs related to facilities, necessary furniture, fixtures and equipment, development of programs, implementation of training programs, materials and supplies, compensation, apprenticeship and such other costs that the Workforce Training Authority Board determines pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to be eligible for training assistance within the purposes of this section.

(g) On July 1, 2018, and prior to each fiscal year thereafter, the administrator shall prepare a plan of operations and an operating and capital budget for the Workforce Training Authority Fund, provided not later than ninety days prior to the start of each fiscal year, the administrator shall submit such plan and budget to the Workforce Training Authority Board for its review and approval.

(h) Administrative costs shall be paid or reimbursed to the administrator from the Workforce Training Authority Fund, provided the total of such administrative costs in any fiscal year shall not exceed five per cent of the total amount of the allotted funding for such fiscal year as determined in the operating budget prepared pursuant to subsection (g) of this section. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require the administrator to risk or expend the funds of the Labor Department in connection with the administration of the Workforce Training Authority Fund.

(i) On January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the administrator shall provide a report of the activities of the Workforce Training Authority Fund to the Workforce Training Authority for the board’s review and approval. Upon such approval, the board shall provide such report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to labor, commerce and employment advancement. Such report shall contain available information on the status and progress of the operations and funding of the Workforce Training Authority Fund and the types, amounts and recipients of financial assistance awarded.

(j) The administrator shall consult with the office of apprenticeship training, the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission, the Planning Commission on Higher Education and the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund to ensure coordination and compatibility of the development and implementation of training programs awarded by the Workforce Training Authority Fund.

(P.A. 17-207, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 17-207 effective July 11, 2017.